Cause of death and guilt in bereavement: The role of emotional regulation and kinship

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the role that emotional regulation and kinship play in the relationship between cause of death and guilt. The sample consisted of 91 people that had suffered the loss of a loved one to illness, suicide, or accident. The results show that suicide was the variable with the greatest impact on levels of guilt during bereavement, and that those people losing a child to suicide experienced more difficulties in terms of emotional regulation than those that had lost another family member, with this finding being useful for the design of intervention programs.